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9/9/2013
1
Dr. Chris FinelliAssociate Professor and Chair
Department of Biology and Marine BiologyDobo 102
The Department of Biology and Marine Biology @ UNCW
• BA, BS, MS – Biology• BS, MS, PhD – Marine Biology• ~800 majors
– 60/40 Biology to Marine Biology• 74 graduate students• 38 Full time, tenure-track faculty, 6
Lecturers, 11 Researchers (Faculty or Non-Faculty)
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On Campus Facilities• Cell and Molecular Biology
– PCR– Gel documentation– Biochemical assays
• Seawater and flume• Collections
– Mammals (15000 specimens)– Birds (2000 specimens)– Fish and Herps (26000 specimens)– David J. Sieren Herbarium (25000 specimens)
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Microscopy Facility
• SEM • TEM• Confocal• Light• Imaging
Burevitch Field Support Facility
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Kresge Greenhouse
Campus Natural Areas
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Ev-Henwood
NE Cape Fear Ecological Site
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Broadfoot Property @ Pages Creek
Hewletts Creek Research Lease
UNCW Research Lease
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Center for Marine Science• Gene Sequencing• Nutrients and water quality• Isotope Ratio Mass Spec• Aquaculture
– (Finfish and shellfish)
• Boats and SCUBA• Machine Shop• Instrumentation• Seawater facilities
How can you get involved?
• www.uncw.edu/bio• Directed Independent Study• Honors Projects• Volunteer• Be active and persistent
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What do these organisms have in common?
Chris Finelli (UNCW, Associate Professor)John Carroll (UNCW, Postdoctoral Associate)Steven McMurray (UNCW, Graduate Student)Inga Conti-Jerpe (UNCW, Graduate Student)Heather Stoker (UNCW, Graduate Student)
Tammy Bleier (UNCW, Undergraduate Student)John Marion (UNCW, Undergraduate Student)
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Marine Biofluiddynamics and Ecology Lab
• How do water currents influence biological systems?– Field and lab approaches– Funding from NSF, Sea Grant, NURP (~$1M since 1999)– Graduate and undergraduate participation
Predator effects on Periwinkle Snails
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Oyster Reefs & Coral Reefs: Critical Habitats in Coastal Ecosystems
http://www.mcatoolkit.org/images/1_3_Conservation_Oyster.jpg
• Focal points of production and biodiversity.
• Fisheries hot spots.• Provide critical ecosystem
services.
Both are severely degraded.
Coral Reef Research• Among the most diverse
and productive ecosystems, but also among the most threatened.
• Research:– Filtration rates of Caribbean
sponges– Effects of water flow on
feeding by coral reef fishes• International student
opportunities: Bahamas, Belize.
• Ties with NURC Key Largo
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Filtration Rates of the Giant Barrel Sponge, Xestospongia muta
S. McMurray
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Methods
Cyclic Bleaching
Susanna Lopez-Legentil
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Sponge Orange Band (Fatal Bleaching)
Cowart et al. (2006) Coral Reefs 25: 513
Bleaching Effects
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Aquarius and Shipboard
Glovers Reef
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A. spinosaSpinyhead
A. asperaRoughhead
R. ClarkeR. Clarke
A spinataA. tonsa
E. Buskey
Pre
dato
rsP
rey
EpibenthicHarpacticoid copepods
Xhttp://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/sscletocam3_250sm.gif
Blenny Feeding
High Speed Video:Recorded at 1000 fpsPlayback at 30 fps
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Oyster Reef Research• Locally and nationally oyster
populations are in decline.– Decreased fisheries– Loss of critical ecosystem services
• Sea Grant funded projects to aid oyster reef restoration by increasing juvenile oyster settlement and survival on artificial reef substrates.
• Local focus facilitates student participation
Year
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
NC
Oys
ter L
andi
ngs
(met
ric to
ns)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
US
Oyster Landings (m
etric tons)
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000NC LandingsUS Landings
Interactions between oysters, boring sponges, and nudibranchs
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Oyster Recruitment
• Zimmer and colleagues identified a functional mimic for the adult settlement cue, the tripeptide Glycil-Glycil-L-Arginine (GGR).
Adult oysters shed gametes into the water throughout spring and
summer
Plankotrophic larvae develop in the water column for ~3 weeks before becoming
competent to settle.
Competent veligers respond to cues released
from adult oysters by swimming downward.
Larvae and spat are susceptible to predation by a
suite of benthic fauna.
Created Reefs
3: Seeded
5: Seeded
4: Unseeded
6: Unseeded
2: Unseeded
1: Seeded
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Thanks for listening!!